‘First second I saw you I couldn’t get over how beautiful you were.’
Agreeing to a girls’ night out seemed like a great idea initially. The promise of fun was definitely there, but from the moment the first shot was poured, the interrogation began.
“When are you and Jake going to finally get together?”
“Seriously, just call him. Right now.”
“You obviously like him, and he’s clearly into you. Come on, Y/N.”
As much as you adored Amy, Rosa, and Gina, the relentless teasing became unbearable, leading you to make an early exit.
They knew they had crossed a line this time, but still stood by their matchmaking attempts. Witnessing you and Jake pine for each other was, in their eyes, a situation begging for intervention. It wasn’t that you denied your feelings for Jake; you had confessed them to the girls months ago, hoping it would be a fleeting topic. Unfortunately, they latched onto it, turning it into an ongoing campaign. You and Jake had a fantastic working relationship, a synergy that was invaluable, and you were hesitant to jeopardize that with romantic complications. You were perfectly in sync at work, communicating almost telepathically, making quick pivots and last-minute changes seamless, which often resulted in wins for the nine-nine.
Besides, it wasn’t like he reciprocated your feelings anyway, despite Amy, Rosa, and Gina’s persistent assertions.
“Good morning, squad. Tonight, we’re on stakeout for the Fisk drug bust. Boyle and Santiago, you’ll be in the surveillance van. Diaz and Jeffords, you’ll take the abandoned rooms. Y/L/N and Peralta, you’re on the roof. We’ll have a team ready to move on my command. Any issues?” Captain Holt’s monotone voice filled the briefing room. A chorus of “no”s followed as everyone dispersed to prepare for the evening.
You settled at your desk, lost in thought, and didn’t notice Amy approaching until she cleared her throat.
“Hey, Amy,” you greeted, forcing a slight smile. You weren’t truly angry with her about the Jake situation, but it was definitely a sensitive subject.
“Hi. Listen, I just wanted to say we’re sorry. We just want you to be happy, and we really think Jake could be that for you,” Amy said, pulling up a chair beside your desk.
“I get it, Aimes, I really do. But I just hate hearing about it all the time. Especially when I know he doesn’t feel the same way. We’re just friends,” you said with a sigh, picking up your pen and tapping it rhythmically against the desk.
“Are you serious? You honestly think he doesn’t like you? I thought you were just worried about messing up your work dynamic, but you genuinely don’t think he’s interested? Y/N, you’re kidding me! He looks at you like you’re his whole world,” Amy exclaimed, her sincerity so palpable it made you pause. You shook your head, trying to dismiss her words.
“No, he doesn’t. You’re just seeing what you want to see because you want it to happen,” you countered, more to convince yourself than Amy.
“No, Y/N, I’m not. Ask anyone,” she insisted, standing up. “Ask Hitchcock and Scully, even they see it.”
You managed to push aside Amy’s comments, though admittedly, they lingered in the back of your mind. You focused on work, managing to file three cases before another interruption.
“Everything okay?” Jake’s voice startled you, pulling you from your paperwork. He was casually leaning against the chair next to your desk, legs stretched out in front of him, his usual relaxed posture.
“Yeah, why?” you asked, a genuine smile finally breaking through.
“Saw you talking to Santiago earlier. Pen tapping meant trouble. I was going to come to the rescue, but well… Charles…” he trailed off with a characteristic Jake Peralta chuckle.
“So, no more girl talk interventions,” you giggled. “But seriously, I’m fine. Amy was attempting ‘girl talk,’ and it was about as effective as you’d imagine.”
“Sounds about right,” he laughed again. “So, ready for tonight? I’ve already stocked up on snacks. It’s going to be epic.” He grinned, and your heart did a little flutter-kick.
“You do realize this is a stakeout to catch one of the most dangerous drug rings in the city, right?” you asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking.
“Sure, sure, but who says we can’t have a little fun while we’re at it?” he countered, his smile widening, making your own smile grow in response.
“Holt probably would,” you conceded, “But I’m looking forward to it.”
“See you tonight, Y/L/N,” he smiled, standing up and heading to his desk to grab his jacket. “Want me to pick you up?”
“That’d be great, thanks.” God, Jake makes me feel like a teenager with a crush all over again.
“No problem.” He waved goodbye and called out a general farewell to the precinct before heading out.
You watched the elevator doors close, missing the knowing smirks Gina and Rosa exchanged behind you.
“So. Many. Stairs,” Jake groaned, echoing your own thoughts as you both leaned against the rooftop access door, panting for breath.
“So. Many. Stairs,” you repeated, seriously questioning why rooftop stakeouts always seemed to involve broken elevators.
Once you both caught your breath, you walked towards the edge of the roof, setting up the walkie-talkies and binoculars. Jake, true to his word, unveiled an impressive stash of snacks.
“Oh hey, you got my favorites!” you grinned, snatching a packet.
“Of course, I did. I know how to treat a girl right,” Jake grinned back, then paused, his expression turning sheepish. You smiled shyly at him.
“Yeah, you do,” you said softly, almost inaudibly.
It was hardly a secret to anyone who knew Jake that he was smitten with you. In fact, you were probably the only person oblivious to the depth of his feelings. Every time he tried to confess, he’d freeze up. Like the time he invited you to his apartment for “movie night,” which devolved into hours of cheesy rom-coms and laughter until your sides ached. Or the time he took you to that fancy new restaurant you’d been wanting to try, turning it into an impromptu dress-up night in your finest clothes. There were countless moments he wanted to tell you, but the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. Every night after, he’d berate himself for missing another opportunity, imagining a reality where you were his.
“Everyone in position?” Terry’s voice crackled over the walkie-talkie, breaking the comfortable silence. You both reached for the device, blushing slightly as your hands brushed.
“Sorry,” you both said simultaneously, then laughed as Jake handed you the walkie-talkie.
“Yes, Sarge,” you confirmed, followed by similar confirmations from the rest of the team.
“Good. No sign of Fisk yet. This could be a long night, squad,” Terry informed you all. A collective groan rippled through the comms, but truthfully, you couldn’t think of a better place to be at that moment.
Two hours drifted by, the sun had long since dipped below the horizon, and the night air grew colder. Still no sign of Fisk.
Jake, ever the optimist, was doing his best to keep spirits up, regaling you with stories and jokes. Laughter filled the chilly night air.
You looked at Jake, a question forming on your lips, when he suddenly went quiet, his gaze fixed on you, a soft, unfamiliar smile gracing his face. It was a look you hadn’t quite seen before.
“Everythi-” Before you could finish your question, Jake cut you off, his words tumbling out in a rush.
“God, you’re so beautiful,” he blurted out, surprise flashing across both your faces. “Sorry, I just mean…” He trailed off, then shook his head, regaining his composure. “No, I do mean that. Y/N, you’re unbelievably beautiful. From the first second I saw you, I was struck by it, and I’ve been falling for you ever since. I understand if you don’t feel the same way, but…” Jake’s confession was cut short as you leaned in, closing the remaining space between you and him.
The kiss was even more incredible than you had imagined in countless daydreams. Your lips met perfectly, Jake’s hand gently cupping your cheek as yours instinctively reached up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. The kiss was soft, slow, and tender, sending warmth spreading through your chest. You couldn’t help but smile into the kiss, breaking it slightly, but it didn’t matter because Jake was smiling just as brightly back at you.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” Jake whispered, leaning in for another quick, soft kiss.
“Me too,” you murmured, your smile soft and genuine.
“So, does this mean…” Jake trailed off, hope evident in his voice.
“Yeah,” you agreed with a grin, laughing as Jake let out a triumphant whoop that echoed across the rooftop.
You settled back down next to each other, Jake’s arm instinctively wrapping around you when he noticed you shiver in the cold night air.
“Hey, I know we’re in the middle of a case, but I know a pretty romantic way to warm you up,” Jake grinned suddenly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Before you could even process his words, he jumped up and pulled you to your feet with him.
“What are you doing?” you asked, playfully scolding him for making you move away from his warmth as another shiver ran through you. Why couldn’t drug deals go down in nice, warm places with heaters?
You watched as he fiddled with his phone, and then, suddenly, slow, romantic music drifted from the speaker. You grinned and rolled your eyes playfully as you recognized the opening notes of ‘Only You’.
“Do all guys think this song is some kind of magic spell that makes girls fall for them?” you laughed, and he joined in, his laughter warm and infectious.
“Baelfire said it worked,” he shrugged, referencing a character from a TV show, then looked at you with a questioning glance. “That was a…?”
“Once Upon a Time reference, I know,” you grinned, surprising him and making his laughter even louder.
“God, you’re so cool,” he said, genuinely impressed. He cleared his throat, then held out his hand to you with a shy smile. “May I have this dance?”
“I’d be honored,” you giggled, taking his hand. Soon, you were both laughing again, this time over his hilariously clumsy attempts to lead you in a dance on the rooftop, stepping on each other’s toes in the process.
Despite the clumsy steps, you found yourselves swaying together, the city lights twinkling around you, the music filling the space between you. You looked into each other’s eyes, the feelings you both held so clearly visible, and a shared thought resonated between you: Why hadn’t we done this sooner?
Dancing In The Dark With You Between My Arms, under the vast, starlit sky, felt like the most natural thing in the world.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” Jake murmured quietly, not wanting to break the peaceful, romantic atmosphere that had settled over the rooftop.
“Me neither,” you agreed, leaning in to enjoy the soft, lingering kiss that followed, sealing the beginning of your story, right there, dancing in the dark with you between my arms.
Really, why hadn’t you done this earlier?
